21 Best IKEA IVAR Storage Hacks

Transform these plain cabinets into stunning, useful storage items

Best IKEA IVAR Hacks and Projects

Get ready for some DIY magic. These IKEA IVAR hacks share how to create stylish, customized storage for any room in your home. At less than $100 per cabinet, these versatile pieces of furniture have the power to transform a room.

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IKEA Sideboard Hack

You don't have to forfeit beauty when maximizing utility. This hack by Antonia at Craftifair combines two IKEA IVAR cabinets to create a chic credenza.

To take each IVAR to the next level, she painted them black. For contrast, she topped them off with a sheet of plywood. To get her new creation off the ground she added four sets of stainless steel legs.

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Fake Custom Cabinetry

If your small space is seriously short on storage, this IKEA IVAR hack by Becky from ​Infarrantly Creative will solve your problem. She used 15 IVAR cabinets to fake built-in cabinetry. After painting them white, she upgraded the doors with stainless steel bar pulls.

Furniture Legs

Besides painting or staining, one of the easiest ways you can turn an IVAR wall cabinet into a brand-new piece of furniture is by adding a set of attention-getting legs. This project by Annelies Vermeulen at Allihoppa is an adorable example.

Washi Tape Project

You don't have to break out the paint or wood stain to give an IKEA IVAR a brand-new look. Vera from Paul's Vera customized her cabinets using bronze washi tape. Her freehand design only took minutes to create.

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IKEA Storage Hack

Three IKEA IVAR units create gobs of storage space for a space-deprived apartment. This detailed tutorial by The Wall Whisper shares tricks for painting and installing it. To make the top of the units easier to clean, you can top the cabinets off with a sheet of glass.

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DIY a Chic Bar

Make entertaining in a small space a cinch with this IKEA hack. Catarina from Sweet Magnolia transformed a couple of IVAR cabinets into a bar ready to party. After painting her new creation blue she added a couple sets of glitzy, gold furniture legs.

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Fish Scale Pattern

Before painting, she sketched out the pattern on her computer using InDesign software. After finalizing which colors worked best, she drew the design on the cabinet using a handmade cardboard template. The cherry on top is the pretty furniture legs.

Blue Dye Stain

Love wood grain? Here's an idea that shows it off with color. Used white milk paint and blue dye stain to magnify the IVAR's natural beauty. Dye stain is unlike traditional wood stain in that it is made up of mostly organic materials. Also, most dye stains are relatively goof-proof to use. Just apply to unfinished wood and let dry. To intensify the color, add another coat.

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IKEA Kitchen Hack

Remodeling a tiny kitchen to gain more storage space can be a pricey endeavor. Mike from The Fresh Exchange has an inexpensive solution. This IVAR hack creates more room for kitchen stuff on an unused wall.

Invest in New Hardware

The folks at Forge Studio know that when it comes to giving inexpensive furniture a high-end new look, never skimp on the hardware. For instance, their hack uses brass cabinet pulls to transform a painted IVAR into a beautiful wall unit.

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Nursery Room Storage

Scandinavian Style

The furniture in this Scandinavian dining room only looks expensive. Rebecca Centre from the Swedish lifestyle blog Homespo gave her unfinished wood chairs and plywood IVAR cabinets a fancy new look with black and gray paint.